Turning truly pro will return AFC to the top

What you need to know:

  • Does Leopards know that Tunisian giants Esperance have 18 sponsors injecting in a combined Sh600 million to the club each year?

I am, to say the least, embarrassed and disappointed by reports suggesting my beloved club AFC Leopards is - yet again - planning a fundraiser in the not so distant future. 

The proceeds from the said fundraiser will, according to the management, be channelled towards “paying off debts” and sustaining the club up until the end of this season.

My embarrassment and disappointment stems from the fact that the management seems to have categorically refused to infuse professionalism in how this popular club is managed and in its stead seems hell bent on using such an outdated methodology of harambees to raise revenue to run this popular football entity that unites close to six million people in East Africa.

But then, considering this the club that I hold to heart, I have taken it upon myself to share a few tips with management on how to make much dime in a more professional format, other than constantly extending that rusty begging bowl to the public every other day.

See, the world over Mr AFC Leopards chairman, successful football clubs have devised ways of minting millions of dollars while winning trophies at the same time.

One such way includes enrolling a patron with deep pockets to literally bankroll the club until at that time the project can sustain itself. Someone our brothers in Uganda like to refer to as a “Mugaga” (the deep pocketed one)

Examples from the back of my mind include Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, the Glazers at Manchester United and those Sheikhs at French club Paris-Saint Germain. 

In Africa, we got Moise Katumbi at TP Mazembe, Patrice Motsepe at Mamelodi Sundowns, Irvin Khotsa at Orlando Pirates, Yusuf Manji at Yanga in Tanzania or even Lawrence Mulindwa at Vipers of Uganda.

Note, this person should be a great lover of the club and football in general. The source of his/her fortune should also be in the clear so that the club doesn’t end up in a situation similar to that of Manji.

The second most common source of income to sports entities is from sponsorship. I know Leopards have a Sh45 million SportPesa sponsorship or thereabouts each year. But this seemingly isn’t enough. What then stop the clubs from sourcing for more sponsors? 

Does Leopards know that Tunisian giants Esperance have 18 sponsors injecting in a combined Sh600 million to the club each year? That dating app Tinder are willing to offer Manchester United Sh1.5 billion each year just to have their logo appear on the club’s attire? Lastly, how about grooming players and selling them on for handsome returns as compared to the current scenario of sign and dump players after six months?

Again, examples here are a plenty. Kenya’s Michael Olunga cost Zhicheng FC Sh500 million and yet he was turning out for Gor Mahia the other day.

Brazilian Neymar Junior, 25, cost PSG Sh30 billion in transfer fees alone last week.

Importantly though, the income generating processes I have highlighted above requires some sort of skill and expertise. Much more skill than just extending a rusty bowl to the public. I am talking about professionals running the club.